Radio Together: Recent Episodes
Radio Together
Radio Together is a podcast assembled by senior citizens living under lockdown in London, UK. The project is an offshoot of Fifty-Plus Digital - https://50pd.uk
The Sharp End was an immensely successful health and wellbeing project for older people. It closed in 2023, leaving a massive hole in the lives of hundreds of people who depended on it. Some of them talk about their personal feelings of loss - and the campaign to restore the activities and fellowship that they miss.
Recorded 26 April 2024 for the Our Sharp End campaign, amid the hubbub of the main hall at Mildmay Community Centre, London N16.
DJ Mumbles is the host - and Mikie is the guest, talking about music and life in South Africa.
Recorded 10 July 2023 at Mildmay Community Centre, London, UK
DJ Mumbles and Mikie talking about African music and reggae.
Recorded 3 July 2023 at Mildmay Community Centre, London, UK
Polly Mann talks to Hajni Semsei, director of Arbeit Studios, about the development of their Hackney Wick base (‘We take empty spaces - ranging from small 750 sq ft buildings to vast 15,000,sq ft warehouses - and transform them into studio spaces for artists, designers, makers, start-ups and small businesses - to inspire creativity, connect communities and power ideas’).
Recorded 31 March 2023 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick
Mentioned: Arbeit Studios, Hackney Herbal
Polly Mann (Community Development Worker) summarises the first eight years of the Hackney Wick Award. There is more to come.
Recorded 17 March 2023 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick -
Links: Badu Sports, Hackney Quest, Morningside & Gascoyne Youth Club, Renaisi, Violence Reduction Unit, Wickers Youth Club
Jeanette describes the consequences of her smoking-related brain aneurysm, and her dilemma over surgery.
Recorded 20 October 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Links: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/brain-aneurysm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aneurysm, https://www.stjohnsupperholloway.church
Photographer Brian with Elma and Tracey, talking about his passion for his art and his community.
Recorded at the Generation Inspire photo exhibition (Hackney Quest and Rise365), 15 October 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Links: https://brianwhar.com, https://www.instagram.com/brain_war, https://www.hackneyquest.org.uk, https://www.rise365.co.uk
Colette is CEO of Hackney Quest – a dazzling support and mentoring project for young people and families.
Recorded at the Generation Inspire photo exhibition (Hackney Quest and Rise365), 15 October 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Link: https://www.hackneyquest.org.uk
Omari Smith talks to Elma Twomey and Tracey J Boothe about how he got started as a portrait and fashion photographer with the help of Hackney Quest.
Recorded at the Generation Inspire photo exhibition (Hackney Quest and Rise365), 15 October 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Links: https://www.instagram.com/capturedbyomari, https://omari-photography1.webnode.co.uk/, https://www.hackneyquest.org.uk, https://www.rise365.co.uk
Andrew Leo’s inspiring journey from the city to community photography – hosted by Elma Twomey and Tracey J Boothe.
Recorded at the Generation Inspire photo exhibition (Hackney Quest and Rise365), 15 October 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Links: https://www.andrewleophoto.com/, https://www.hackneyquest.org.uk, https://www.rise365.co.uk
Part 2 of a longer conversation with Elma Twomey and Tracey J Boothe – about live performance and the Jammin Boothe. Best to listen to part 2 first.
Recorded 15 October 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Links for Tracey J Boothe: https://anchor.fm/traceyjboothe, https://traceyjboothepublishing.com, https://www.instagram.com/traceyjboothe
Part 1 of a longer conversation with Elma Twomey and Tracey J Boothe.
Recorded 15 October 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Links for Tracey J Boothe: https://anchor.fm/traceyjboothe, https://traceyjboothepublishing.com, https://www.instagram.com/traceyjboothe
Maria's experiences and insights, in her own words, her way.
Recorded 6 October 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Elma and Hardeep compare the consequences of not having had children.
Recorded 16 September 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Edited fragments of a longer, unstructured conversation about Derek Prince — a well-known inclusion activist who died 19 July 2022.
Voices: Patrick, Rick, Stephen – supported by Dave.
Recorded 16 August 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Convivial ambient sounds provided by Thingy Café.
Outro: from Smetana’s Moldau – public domain - https://musopen.org/music/25719-ma-vlast-vltava-the-moldau
Elma has accepted the challenge of living without money. Elma also needs a small fridge (to be continued …)
Other voices: Emmanuel, Hardeep, Rick.
Recorded 12 August 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Elma starts a discussion on job search strategy for older people (to be continued) ...
Recorded 29 July 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Elma tells us how she rose above prejudicial schooling and took responsibility for her education as an adult.
Recorded 22 July 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Cover image: Li Zhang - https://unsplash.com/photos/K-DwbsTXliY
Hardeep tells us how - and why - she taught herself to read when she was 50.
Other voices: Elma, Rick.
Recorded 22 July 2022 in the Arbeit Trowbridge Talks podcast studio, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Mathieu Rogers (Hackney Council Area Regeneration Manager) discusses the current successes and future plans in the Hackney Wick area.
Recorded 22 July 2022 at the very wonderful new Arbeit community podcast studio Trowbridge Talks, in Trowbridge Gardens, Hackney Wick - https://arbeit.org.uk/podcast-studio
Secret Garden jam – the 50+ live music group – 90 minutes of music edited down to 12. Gifty (voice, percussion) and Sue (voice, guitar), assisted by Emmanuel, Grafton and Walter.
Recorded on a sunny day – 9 September 2020 – in St Mary’s Secret Garden, Hackney.
Intro/outro credit - http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1098745
Fay tells us about lockdown with her garden and Vox Holloway community choir.
Recorded on a sunny day – 5 August 2020 – in St Mary’s Secret Garden, Hackney, London, UK
Vox Holloway website - https://voxholloway.com
Freedom Song on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKolRX0GJiU
Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
New podcaster Emmanuel introduces himself. Paula is worried about the isolating effects of lockdown and unemployment.
Recorded on a sunny, but noisy, day – 5 August 2020 – in St Mary’s Secret Garden, Hackney, London, UK.
Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
Sue (voice, guitar) and Gifty (voice, calabash) improvise a song from Gifty’s repertoire. Also heard: Ken (guitar) and Steven (guitar). Then Gifty tells us why she wrote the song.
Recorded 29 July 2020 in St Mary’s Secret Garden, Hackney, London, UK
Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
Paula contrasts her memories of stable working life with the prospects of a younger generation trying to get started.
Recorded on a noisy day - 29 July 2020 – in St Mary’s Secret Garden, Hackney.
Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
John arrives on a Honda Hornet 600 F3 CBR, and tells us how coronavirus has curtailed his life on the road.
Recorded on a sunny day - 22 July 2020 – in St Mary’s Secret Garden, Hackney, London, UK
Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
Ruth takes us back to the 1980s.
Recorded 3 July 2020 in an online meeting space.
Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
A brief episode from Brian’s life in London, 1954.
Recorded on a rainy day - 1 July 2020 – in St Mary’s Secret Garden, Hackney.
Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
A brief summary of Andreas’ experiences of radio, phone and TV services in the UK since 1957.
Recorded on a rainy day - 1 July 2020 – in St Mary’s Secret Garden, Hackney, London, UK
Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
Ruth looks back on her journey from apartheid South Africa.
Recorded 24 June 2020 in St Mary’s Secret Garden, Hackney
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Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
Gifty’s reaction to the death of George Floyd.
Recorded 17 June 2020 in St Mary’s Secret Garden, Hackney.
Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
Brian’s hope for the future is younger people.
Recorded 5 June 2020 in an online meeting space.
Coronavirus has closed Mama Gifty Kitchen near Liverpool St – but Gifty Naa Dk is confident that she will be back in business soon.
Recorded 4 June 2020 in Shoreditch, London. Languages: English and Ga.
Intro/outro credit - http://ccmixter.org/files/Javolenus/56496
Paula Yassine tells us how St Marys Secret Garden has survived lockdown – and outlines a plan for carrying on as a community garden for the most vulnerable and isolated people.
Edited extracts from a much longer online conversation, recorded 15 May 2020.
The voices belong to: Anne-Marie, Katy, Paula, Rick and Ruth.
St Mary’s Secret Garden URL – http://www.stmaryssecretgarden.org.uk
Mildmay Mission Hospital URL – https://mildmay.org
Intro/outro credit - https://www.jamendo.com/track/839445/insomniaque
Senior citizens discussing life under lockdown in London. The first (pilot) session of an online-only podcast.
The voices belong to: Hemma, Rick, Ruth and Tom.
Recorded 8 May 2020.
Intro/outro credit - https://www.jamendo.com/track/839445/insomniaque